He grew up conservative in Grand Junction, Colorado. He did his own research. And somewhere along the way, he became one of the most compelling young voices in American politics.

This week, Governor Andy Beshear sits down with Dean Withers, the Gen Z content creator, debate champion, and civic advocate who went from viral Jubilee appearances to millions of followers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, to the stage at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Dean brings sharp wit and nuance to some of the toughest conversations in America: racial justice, climate policy, voting rights, and education reform. And he does it in a media landscape that almost always rewards the loudest voice in the room over the most thoughtful one.

Governor Beshear and Dean dig into his journey, how a kid from a conservative town changed his mind through his own research, what it was like to have the people around him react to that change, and how he ended up debating Ben Shapiro and Charlie Kirk in front of millions before most people his age had figured out their first apartment.

They talk about social media; the good, the bad, and the algorithm that rewards outrage over substance — and how Dean navigates that tension every single day while still trying to move the needle. They talk about what Gen Z actually wants from politics and whether this generation feels heard by the institutions that are supposed to serve them. And they get into the harder questions: whether Dean sees himself eventually running for office, his favorite way to escape and his not-so-secret talent.

Young people are telling us the one word they feel when they turn on the news is exhausted. Dean Withers has built his entire career inside that exhaustion – and somehow found a way to stay hopeful anyway. This conversation is about how.

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With incumbent Governor Brian Kemp term-limited and unable to seek re-election, Georgia Democrats are taking a serious run at the Governor’s office.

Andy sits down with the leading candidates vying for the Democratic nomination: former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, former DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond and former Georgia State Senator Jason Esteves. These are the kind of honest, substantive conversations Georgia voters deserve heading into the May 19th primary.

They dig into the issues hitting Georgians hardest right now: the cost of living, access to health care, the future of public education, and what it takes to build an economy that works for working families, not just those at the top. They talk about what makes this moment different, how each of them would govern a state that has become a true battleground, and why they believe they're the one who can finally end the Democratic Party's long drought in the Georgia governor's race.

Andy knows firsthand what it takes to win and govern in a red-leaning state with blue values, flipping Kentucky's governor's office and keeping it through record economic growth, a global pandemic, and some of the toughest political headwinds in the country. He's not here to pick a winner. He's here to have the real conversation Georgia voters need before they head to the polls.

Because who leads Georgia next doesn't just matter for Georgians, it matters for the direction of the entire country.

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This week marks a milestone: Episode 51 and nearly one year of the Andy Beshear Podcast. To celebrate, we're taking a break from our Prime for 2026 series to hear from the people who will shape what comes next.

Andy sits down with four young professionals for candid conversations about what the American dream means to their generation. From a middle school math teacher who immigrated from East Africa to a civil engineer navigating Louisville's infrastructure, a young entrepreneur building businesses at the intersection of gaming and politics, and a community advocate giving away prom dresses and fighting for her neighbors – these are the voices we should be listening to.

They talk about the weight of rent, skyrocketing grocery bills, the challenge of affording health care as a 25-year-old small business owner, and whether homeownership is even a realistic dream anymore. They open up about social media's grip on their mental health, the exhaustion of living inside a 24-hour news cycle, and why their generation craves compassion and accountability more than anything else.

Then, Andy joins the Johns – John Rabinowitz and John McConnell – to unpack a heavy week in the news: the U.S. entering military conflict with Iran, the longest State of the Union address in history, and what it all means for everyday Americans already stretched thin. But it's not all heavy, there's genuine good news out of Kentucky, including a record-breaking year for exports and a sixth straight top-five finish in economic development per capita. That's a big deal.

Plus, Andy shares details on his new book, Go and Do Likewise and reflects on the painful and powerful moments that shaped his story.

The Andy Beshear Podcast drops every week. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, on the SiriusXM app, or catch us on the Progress Channel on Sirius every Saturday at 11 a.m.

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